"I have the utmost confidence in his ability to lead the highest court of Canada, an institution with a long and respected history of judicial independence and excellence. The judiciary, the legal profession, and all Canadians will be well served by his dedication to upholding the laws and Constitution upon which this country is founded."

As a Quebec Superior Court judge, he sat on several of the court's committees, including the judicial practice committee for training of newly appointed judges. He was named to the Supreme Court by Stephen Harper in 2012.

Justice Richard Wagner is shown at the Supreme Court in Ottawa on Tuesday Feb. 10, 2015. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Wagner is a self-declared advocate of judicial independence, once saying that "the judiciary is only accountable to the person subject to trial."

He is the middle child of former Quebec Liberal cabinet minister and one-time federal Conservative leadership candidate Claude Wagner.

"All Canadians will benefit from Justice Wagner's dedication to upholding the laws & Constitution in his new role as Chief Justice of Canada." - Prime Minister Justin Trudeau

Trudeau had been under pressure from some quarters to name a Quebecer as chief, in keeping with the tradition of alternating between a civil code jurist from Quebec and a common-law one.

The Supreme Court Justices pose for a group photo during the official welcoming ceremony for Justice Malcolm Rowe, in Ottawa, Friday, December 2, 2016. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Fred Chartrand

The current chief justice, Beverley McLachlin, is stepping down after 28 years on the court, including almost 18 years as chief.

McLachlin, 74, is the first woman to hold the top job on the high court and is also Canada's longest-serving chief justice.